Curtis,

The magic number is six.

Quote :

Curtis Makamson wrote : This Civil War reenactment hobby is a complex equation.  Indeed it is.

Curtis,

Outstanding post.  

Curtis,

you indeed understand this hobby.

Quote :

hanktrent wrote : I don't think that family participation makes a unit mainstream, progressive or hardcore...

I agree, our group at War on the James had three generations: Grandma and Grandpa (mid 50s), father (early 30s) and daughter (age 11).  Kathleen decided to portray my daughter, rather than her real father's child. Historically, according to the ORs, our group was home guard who took to the woods when the Yankees came through.  The ladies were taking them provisions when we got trapped out there by the armies.

We've had a number of families together and would love to have more fathers, or just men, participate with us.

Family camping is not exclusive to any branch of the hobby.  How accurately one portrays it just depends upon what one's goals are at an event.  

Linda Trent
lindatrent@zoomnet.net  

--Last edited by Linda Trent on 2007-08-31 11:45:07 --

Linda,

A heck of a lot of farbs, mainstreamers, and authenticists don't know what they are missing.  

Unfortunately I have had some computer problems of late which has prevented me from moderating as much as normal. That being said, there were a few posts in this thread which have violated the rules of this forum. I am letting them stand for now since they have been dealt with overall courtesy at this point. Remember this is the MAINSTREAM folder, pointing out inauthentic issues is OK as long as the tone is appropriate but I will not allow the continued use of terms that are in context derogatory to the discussion or people participating in them. Had I cought these in time I can assure you they would have been deleted expeditiously. If they continue I will not be tolerant.

BTW, Excellent post Curtis!  

--Last edited by toptimlrd on 2007-08-31 18:59:06 --

If we do not have a young people getting into he hobby soon the 150's will be call reunions not reenactments. Then the mainstream can have battery operated wheelchairs and CPH the hand models. Don't worry about cast iron someone will be feeding us by hand. We are all getting to old, considering the age of the real CW soldier. Average age in Lyons Battery close to fifty. How farby is that. Sad but true.

Always
Doug Thomas
Lyons Battery CS
Kentucky  

Doug,

You're right, the aging of the Hobby is a real problem. One answer is all those "Family Campers" out there. I know in our case, one of the major sources of new recruits has been the children who grew up in the Hobby and became young men. It's funny, you lose them for a while, to college or the military, but they often come back. I am aware of another unit with a number of young ladies involved. Funny, how they seem to draw young men into the Hobby!    

I have also noticed that many of the folks we've recruited from outside the Hobby, don't reduce the average age much. They are men who've raised their kids and are looking for a Hobby. Heck, I fall into that category. I was forty when I joined the 4th. Texas.  

The simple fact is that people in the prime age group, from twenty to thirty are the toughest to recruit and more important retain. Thes guys are dealing with new wives, new kids, new jobs, and new mortgages. Reenacting is way down on their list of priorities.  

I want to say ditto to Bill’s post.  We are beginning to get some of the kids back from days gone by.  We have an especially interesting situation with a father, son, and grandfather combination.  That grandfather has been with us all alone.  When he first started he certainly was not a grandfather.  We sometimes sit around and wonder where has the time gone and what happened to us in the meantime as the kids grew up, got educated, and got off on their own.  

At times kids can be pests, but that is not often.  Those kids represent our future.  We all have to remind ourselves this hobby is one generation removed from oblivion.  It is those who are today’s younger members that will most likely carry on in future years.  Maybe they will come by the nursing home and say hello.

Quote :

Bill wrote : Doug, You're right, the aging of the Hobby is a real problem. One answer is all those "Family Campers" out there. I know in our case, one of the major sources of new recruits has been the children who grew up in the Hobby and became young men. It's funny, you lose them for a while, to college or the military, but they often come back. I am aware of another unit with a number of young ladies involved. Funny, how they seem to draw young men into the Hobby!

Bill

I think I know the group you mean..  

At the same time, we also try to do stuff at living histories or events where we may have a kids drill.  And we include the spectator kids and hopefully these kids will come back because it was a hands on experience.  We have gotten some new kids to our group from one of the youth programs a member of our group runs.

Sometimes it is like a baseball team, you need to look for the kids who might be a little younger than you want and start to groom the interest in history and the hobby.  I found one way for me is to take time and be a spectator for an event so I can help them understand what they are seeing at an event.  A couple of our new recruits I brought to an event as a spectator before taking them out to the field.  This way I could answer questions for them and let them see if they would like it.  

--Last edited by lhsnj on 2007-11-07 10:41:43 --

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lhsnj wrote :   Bill I think I know the group you mean..

Greg,

And, you would be correct!      

To All

It does not manner what level mainstream,CPH or what the grouping of the month is. If we don't start and I mean start a agressive effort to get the young folks to take up the torch of CW history what we argue about here on different levels will be left to the history books and schools. I started when I was 39 I will be 53 my birthday. When was the last time you saw a young man show up at an event with a cannon that was in his 30's. Now I been shooting with the same basic people for years. Age is not kind to this hobby. I wonder how much longer I will continue to do it. I have never been to Gettysburg, it may be the lesser by some peoples veiw, but I'm at least going to one of them. I better go to the 145th. I'm not sure I'll have the energy or desire for the 150th. Some say its not about the numbers but it is in some ways. I'm not crazy about Nationals either but I'd like to see the big ones every once in awhile. Big ones in the West aren't big anymore. Springhill 98 was big, and a few others, but anymore the interest by our generation is going more local. Ham and Yam by some but it still beats what they get at most schools. Lesson books don't make as much noise as I do, 58cals have them beat as well. I wish I had an answer. This hobby may be going down faster than any of us would care to admit.

Always
Doug Thomas
Lyons Battery CS
Kentucky  

Quote :

Poor Private wrote : It's interesting for me a 53 yr old guy to take orders from our first sergeant 18years old, and my own son who is 25.

Please keep in mind that, while reenacting, you are all between the ages of 18 and 27.  ;)

Bernard

My mind my be in the under 30 mindset but the color of my hair (or lack of in my case) says otherwise.

Always
Doug Thomas
Lyons Battery CS
Kentucky

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captdougofky wrote : My mind my be in the under 30 mindset but the color of my hair (or lack of in my case) says otherwise.

It is called "Suspension of Disbelief", and is not limited to any one or few factors that are seemingly out of place, but to all of them.

We know, and those who watch us know, that we are not a true representation of CW soldiers.  We are what we are.  But both sides are willing to defy reality for a few hours in exchange for some enjoyment, and possibly some gained information and experience.  It's a worthwhile trade-off in most cases.

I have watched an older, balding, greying, overweight reenactor mesmerize a group of passers-by with his blanket talk.  It didn't matter to anyone involved that he didn't fit the period descrïption.  What counted was what he said and how he said it.